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EXCLUSIVE: Top tips to cut antibiotics in poultry - 1

Practical ideas on reducing or eliminating the use of antibiotics in producing poultry meat and eggs were presented by speakers at Poultry Summit Europe 2016, organised by VIV worldwide. Scroll down to read some of their suggestions.

Cut antibiotics in poultry

1: Start with better hygiene

A poultry chain approach to cutting back on antibiotics has been emphasised at Poultry Summit Europe 2016, organised by VIV worldwide. Conference delegates heard in particular that there should be a clear focus on hygiene at every step of the production chain, including in the feed mill and the hatchery.

Hygiene precautions in feed manufacturing were discussed by Dr. Béatrice Conde-Petit, food safety officer for Bühler Corporate Technology. The target typically is to achieve Salmonella control, she pointed out. But it can be challenging, given that incoming grains and oilseeds along with by-products often carry the bacteria into the mill. Adding to potential problems is that Salmonella to be distributed unevenly through lots, so that scrupulous sampling procedures need to be observed. It is also persistent, able to withstand quite high temperatures and to survive for years on metal surfaces or in grains as long as the environment is dry.

For clean feed

In the process called feed hygienization for Salmonella control, Dr. Conde-Petit continued, conditioning combined with a period of retention in the pelleting stage can be designed as a kill step. For good hygiene results, however, it is not enough to specify only the time and temperature for the treatment --- you should also say how much microbial reduction you want, since this will differ according to the initial contamination of the feed and the value of the birds receiving it. In addition, do not forget the influence of moisture content on the amount of time and temperature required to achieve a set percentage kill rate.

The layout should separate clean and dirty production flows and air flows, he insisted. Machines need to be made of materials that can be cleaned easily and effectively. Floor surfaces must be free of obstacles. In such ways, design works with management to achieve optimal hygiene that safeguards chick health.

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Peter Best

Topic Master VIV online, VIV worldwide

Peter Best celebrated 50 years as an agricultural journalist in 2014. From a farming family with close connections to the animal feed industry, after studying animal science he trained in general journalism before joining a UK company that specialised in arable and livestock magazines. In his subsequent career Peter has been the editor of a number of international titles for businesses in animal agriculture as well as national and regional. Now retired from full-time journalism, he operates the Animal Information Network internationally and lives in southern England.

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